Teen brings Super Sprint success to Berlin

Litchfield's Kyle Flint isn't the type of teenager who parks himself in front of the computer and plays video games all day.

The Jonesville High School junior enjoys playing soccer, basketball and baseball.

Even when his father, Ken Flint, would take him to the racetrack as a child, Flint had to keep busy.

"When he was younger, we would bring (race) flags, and he would flag the races from stands," Ken Flint said. "He was probably two at the time, and he would eventually fall asleep."

Flint's passion and enthusiasm have been evident this season now that he is racing full-time, too. He has already secured the 2008 Auto Value Super Sprints rookie of the year honors heading into the circuit's season finale at Berlin Raceway in Marne.

Not only is Flint the youngest driver competing full-time in the open wheel traveling series, but he has proven to be one of the most competitive drivers this season. Flint enters the 7 p.m. races seventh overall in the season point standings.

"His determination and probably the competition within himself are his biggest strengths," Ken Flint said. "Everything he does, he researches and tries to be the best he can."

The Super Sprints are making their third Berlin appearance of the season in Saturday's Open Wheel Spectacular. The program will include the International Supermodified Association, along with three sanctioning bodies of Midget cars.

Flint finished sixth in the June 28 Berlin feature and won a heat race, then returned to take eighth in the main when the series made its second Berlin stop on Aug. 30. He also won a heat.

"Berlin is one of my favorite tracks in the whole circuit that we go to," Flint said. "It's a nice big open track."

Flint is from North Carolina, and he grew up attending races at Orange County Speedway, a three-eighths mile oval in Rougemont, N.C. His family moved to Michigan in 1999, and by then, Flint already was racing go-karts.

Flint raced Sprint Cars at age 12, and he was the rookie of the year last year at Butler Motor Speedway in Quincy. Flint then began looking for a new challenge, and he found it with the Super Sprints, which compete primarily in Michigan.

While Flint has made the step appear easy, he said it has been a challenge, especially since his previous Sprint Car experience has been on dirt tracks. Plus, he had to earn the respect of the older drivers in the Super Sprints.

"I think the veterans were a little cautious racing around me at first, and it took some time for us to get more comfortable with all the other drivers," Flint said. "But I feel I have really gained their respect throughout this year. It was tough coming in, but it has been fun."

Jason Blonde enters this weekend's races with a 50-point lead over Ryan Litt in the chase for this year's title. Blonde lives near Flint in Litchfield.